Music Director

General Description

The Music Director will provide professional leadership for musical ensembles and activities of the congregation and develop a diverse, stimulating music program, while being sensitive to UU principles and values. The position is supervised by the Minister. The Music Director works an average of 15 hours per week, over 44 weeks from mid-August to mid-June.

Requirements

• Competency in vocal and instrumental conducting.
• Vocal proficiency.
• Good administrative, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in piano or other instruments is strongly preferred, in addition to vocal proficiency.

Musical Duties

• Plan and oversee music for all worship services from the second Sunday September to mid-June, including special events, Christmas Eve, Music Sunday, and others.
• Regularly consult with the Minister and the Director of Lifespan Religious Education (DLRE) and lay leaders to schedule and provide a coordinated worship program; select and schedule choir pieces and instrumental music and help with hymn suggestions—based on consultation with the Minister, DLRE, and/or service leaders.
• Rehearse the Adult Choir weekly. Lead the choir for Sunday-service performances as scheduled with the minister during the program year. The choir performs in Sunday services on average twice a month.
• Lead the choir in special events, including up to two memorial or other special services under UUFCC auspices each year, schedules permitting. Participation in more than two special services will be compensated at the Music Director’s hourly rate for the year, for a minimum of two hours per service (more for extra rehearsal time or performances clearly requiring a bigger time commitment).
• Rehearse a youth choir (for children in 3^rd to 8^th grades) every other Sunday morning. Provide the youth choir with performance opportunities during services and special musical events. Plan and carry out musical activities for children in Kindergarten to 2^nd grade on alternating Sunday mornings. Consult with the DLRE on ways to involve children and youth in musical activities throughout the school year.
• Hire a summer pianist and schedule additional musicians as necessary (usually about once a month). Provide a list of musicians, and recommendations for music, to lay leaders planning summer services.
• Encourage and recruit new members to join the musical ensembles offered at the UUFCC.

Administrative Duties

• Attend staff and Music Committee meetings. In cooperation with the Music Committee, submit a short, written, monthly report to the Board and Program Council. Attend Board or Program Council meetings as needed.
• Communicate regularly with the Minister, DLRE, Office Administrator, piano accompanist, band leader, Chair of the Music Committee, and Chair of the Worship Committee.
• Supervise the piano accompanist. Consult with the accompanist on musical selections and scheduling of rehearsals and performances for the Adult Choir and children’s music programs. Whenever possible, share new music with the accompanist in advance of rehearsals.
• Support and provide general oversight for the work of the jazz band leader. Consult and coordinate with the jazz band leader on scheduling of rehearsals and performances for UUFCC musical ensembles and services.
• Submit musical selections for the weekly Order of Service. Cooperate with the Music Committee in reporting on the music program in the monthly newsletter, reports for congregational meetings, and other media.
• Assume overall accountability for the music budget, while consulting with the Music Committee on spending plans and unusual expenditures. Submit payment requests for all expenses or reimbursements in a timely manner. In cooperation with the Music Committee, schedule and arrange payment for piano tuning and maintenance.
• Purchase music and oversee maintenance of the church music library (Choir, Jazz Band, and children’s music). Maintain electronic catalog of music library.
• As requested and time permits, assist the Music Committee in organizing or publicizing concerts hosted by the UUFCC.
• The Director will observe all applicable copyright laws and retain copyrights on all their original compositions. The Director will handle any copyright clearances needed for music used in the service.

Additional Considerations

• The Director will follow the Guidelines for Payment of Musicians for Special Services, as approved by the Board of Trustees in February 2017.
• The Director will be a member of the Association of UU Music Ministries and is encouraged to interact with other musicians in our Central Eastern Region.
• In the course of performing their duties, the Director may have access to and be entrusted with confidential information concerning the financial status and activities of the UUFCC and its members. UUFCC has a proprietary right to maintain the confidentiality of such information, which UUFCC is entitled to protect. Accordingly, the employee may not disclose any such confidential information to any person or organization except as required in the normal course of their work with UUFCC.